454 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



tliem until the following Monday. On that day I inspected the 

 rabbits and the chambers, and found everything satisfactory. 



During my stay in Liverpool I called on Sir Charles Petrie and 

 Mr. Ruddin, the two large Liverpool importers of Australian rabbits, 

 and I was received with every courtesy. I had a long talk with 

 the first-named gentleman relating to the rabbit trade, and there 

 is little doubt that for the northern and north midland trade in 

 rabbits (which is very large), Liverpool, from its geographical 

 position, and consequently lower railway rates, is in a better position 

 than London to cater for the trade. The present difficulty in 

 furthering this is the question of direct shipments to Liverpool from 

 Australia. There are at present practically no boats going direct to 

 that port from Australia. The White Star steamers go there, but 

 they call first at London, and do not arrive in Liverpool until nine to 

 eleven days later. If goods are urgently required, it becomes 

 necessary for consignees to take delivery in London — although the 

 goods are consigned to Liverpool — and forward by train rather than 

 wait for the steamer to arrive in the ordinary course at Liverpool. 

 This is probably not done to any large extent, but I mention it as 

 showing a difficulty of increasing our trade in the populous districts 

 of the north. 



The R.M.S. "India" discharged 2U22 crates of Victorian rabbits 

 in excellent condition this week, and the s.s. " Narrung" 1606 crates — 

 is now discharging. I hope to be in a position to report on the 

 condition of the latter consignment next week. 



The trade in London in Australian rabbits is very quiet this week, 

 as supplies of English are plentiful. The top price for Victorian 

 to-day is 15s. 6d. per crate ex ship. 



Grading Rabbits- 



I also deaire to bring before the authorities in Melbourne the 

 opinion of the chief importers, that the rabbits are over graded. At 

 present there are six distinct grades: — "Large," "Young," and 

 " Small," in black and red. That is to say that there are two grades 

 of "Large," two of "Young," and two of "Small." The opinion of 

 the trade now is that these are too many, and only lead to confusion. 

 The words "first quality" and "second quality" also are rather likely 

 to be inferred by . buyers as meaning an inferiority of quality or 

 condition in the rabbit itself. This, I take it, is not what is intended, 

 as I understand the words " second quality" to refer to the size of the 

 rabbit only. I would therefore recommend that the rabbits in future 

 should be graded into three classes only, viz. :— " Large," " Young," 

 and " Small," and that use of the words " first quality" and " second 

 quality" on the crates should be discontinued. The stamp of the 

 Agricultural Department, "Approved for Export" is most vahiableto 

 the trade, and should naturally therefore be continued. 



